Classic H.G. Wells novel reprinted – with rules

If you’re like me, and therefore have an unhealthy interest in the meta-game of how RPG publishers are licensing their rules and content, you might be tickled by this: Gold Rush Games is doing what has the markings of a series of Action! Classics, the first of which is H.G. Wells’ novel The War of the Worlds, in its entirety, with new illustrations, and rules material for the D20 and Action! systems. This is, of course, possible because TWotW was published in 1898 and has entered the public domain, which, incidentally, very few things are ever going to do again. (The irony of what that link asks of you is not lost on me, thanks.) This is not only a great extension of the notion of Open Game Content, but a great example of how reusing other people’s works enables innovation and creativity. Just ask Disney… but I don’t want to get all political on you. Gold Rush’s edition of TWotW will also include rules for using giant Martian robots in the Action!-enabled Monster Island combat game from Firefly. [Addendum: how cool would it be if Gold Rush also included as an appendix Wells’ manuscript for Little Wars, in which he literally invented the modern wargame, which is of course the progenitor of RPGs?]